In the transportation industry, various vehicle services are often offered to users of vehicles to enhance their experience with the vehicle. Familiar services now include a variety of software and application-based services, in varied forms, some of which are for free and other which require a subscription or fee-based model. Example of such services include enabling users to connect their smart phones to the vehicles audio system, providing turn-by-turn directions through in-car, on-screen applications, and receiving emergencies services such as unlocking a vehicle's door or the automated reporting of an accident. Many of these services are consumer-focused, in which they enhance the experience of using a vehicle and for some consumers, the availability of these services can be persuasive in making a buying decision for a particular car brand or model.
However, prior to or during a purchase, a salesperson's ability to successfully access the varied services available for a possible customer for a particular vehicle may influence a customer's buying decision. Further, there may be occasions at a dealership, for instance, where a demonstrator vehicle (demo) is not available to show possible customers as it is being used, may have been sold, or is otherwise indisposed. To overcome this issue, a dealership may seek to add more demo units to its inventory, which can be costly, or limit the utilization of the demo units so as they may not be sold or leave the dealership for extended periods of time; however, each of these approaches creates additional burdens to the dealership including additional costs, logistical challenges and security issues in which verification processes can be complicated.
Therefore there is a desire to better activate subscription services on various vehicles at a point of sale (POS) location, via an authentication-based process, while overcoming the traditional security, financial and logistical challenges. In this manner, the ability to perform improved dealer demonstrations of vehicles having subscription services may be realized. The present invention is directed to such a need.